Adelanto trustees approve Millionaire Mind Kids contract after widespread public support

The Adelanto Elementary School District board voted 4–1 on Aug. 12 to approve a contract with Millionaire Mind Kids (MMK) to provide after‑school STEM and enrichment programming at multiple district sites, following extended public testimony from students, parents and program staff.

The contract, described by district staff as covering 30 students per listed site and expanding to an additional school and roughly 30 more students, will increase funding for MMK from $364,400 to $525,000 for the 2025–26 school year, the district stated during discussion. MMK representatives and many parents said the organization previously received $164,160 for summer programming to serve 600 students; a public speaker called an earlier claim of a $1,000,000 award “false.”

Supporters, including students who testified about gains in academic skills and social confidence, asked trustees to preserve robotics and other STEM offerings. "It really hurts me to hear that they're trying to get rid of the program," fifth‑grader Ramaya Brown told the board. Regina Bell, a community advocate, said MMK served about 1,710 AESD students across five schools from 2021 through 2025 and urged trustees to base the decision on program results rather than politics.

Trustee Webster voted against the contract, raising several concerns during the debate: an incorrect per‑student amount listed on the agenda, a contract clause requiring 50% upfront payment, and how the district would recover funds if sites failed to meet enrollment guarantees. District staff acknowledged an error in the agenda language about the price per student and said the contract uses a positive‑attendance reconciliation process governed by California Department of Education (CDE) rules: the district pays against estimated attendance up front, then reconciles monthly and returns funds if attendance falls short.

District officials said prior reporting errors had caused credits to be issued in the past but that new reconciliation language is intended to prevent the same outcome. Superintendent Walker and other staff said MMK has been operating for several years in the district and would go through the regular rebidding process when required.

Trustee Stewart, who supported the contract, pointed to the program’s demonstrable student engagement and said she preferred to spend available ELOP (Expanded Learning Opportunities Program) funds on services that directly benefit students. “Our kids deserve the cash,” Stewart said.

The board approved the item after the discussion, with Webster the lone dissenting vote. District staff said MMK will be rebid in future cycles as required by district procurement rules and state guidelines.

Next steps: The contract takes effect per the board action and will be reconciled monthly under the positive‑attendance provisions described by staff.